Last year I spent much of the holiday season working out how to make the stockings I’d always wanted: red, striped, felted wool stockings that would last for years. After many failed attempts (and an unfortunate stretch of my house smelling like a barn—wet felting just wasn’t for me), I finally landed on a reliable process. I’m thrilled with the final result and grateful to everyone who followed along while I figured it out. Below is a clear, step-by-step tutorial so you can make your own felted stripe Christmas stockings.
DIY Felted Stripe Christmas Stockings
Total Time: About 3+ hours per stocking
Supplies
Large sheet of paper or a paper grocery bag for a pattern
White or cream wool felt (about 2 yards if lining the stocking)
Red wool roving (or other colors for stripes)
Needle felting mat and needle felting tool
Sewing machine and pins
Sharp scissors
9×12″ felt sheet in a contrasting color (optional, for letters)
Yarn in desired colors and a pom pom maker
Embroidery needle and thread
Polyfill or other stuffing
Directions
1. Create a stocking template from the paper or grocery bag. Make the outline about 1/2″ larger on all sides than the final desired size to allow for seam allowance. If you prefer, use a printed pattern, but freehand works fine.
2. Use the template to cut four stocking shapes from the felt: two outer pieces and two lining pieces. Also cut a 2″ x 8″ rectangle for the hanging loop. Set two outer/lining pieces aside for later.
3. Place one of the two outer stocking pieces on the felting mat with the top corner positioned where you want the first stripe. Pull a thin piece of red roving and lay it where the stripe should begin. Using the needle felting tool, repeatedly punch the roving into the felt until the fibers bind and don’t come off when you scratch them with a nail. Continue adding roving strips and felting until you achieve the desired stripe width—mine were about 3″ each.
4. Repeat felting additional stripes down the stocking. You can vary stripe widths for a custom look—one of my stockings had a stripe that widened across the foot while another kept uniform stripes.
5. Felt the matching stripes on the second outer stocking piece, making sure to felt the opposite side so the stripes will align when the stocking is sewn together. Use the completed striped piece to measure stripe placement on the second piece; exact alignment isn’t necessary, small variations add character.
6. Place the two striped outer pieces with the striped sides facing outward and stitch them together with a 1/2″ seam allowance, leaving the top opening unstitched. Clip small notches into the seam around the curved foot to help the curve lie flat when turned. Turn the stocking right-side out.
7. Stitch the two lining pieces together the same way, but leave a 4–5″ opening on one side so you can turn the stocking later. This becomes the removable lining.
8. Fold the 2″ x 8″ rectangle lengthwise, stitch the long edge with a 1/2″ seam, and turn it right-side out to form the hanging loop.
9. With the lining wrong-side out and the striped stocking right-side out, insert the striped stocking into the lining so the wrong sides face each other. Position and pin the hanging loop at the back (heel) of the stocking between the layers, then pin the entire top edge together.
10. Stitch around the top edge with a 1/2″ seam allowance to secure the loop and join the layers.
11. Use the opening left in the lining to turn the stocking right-side out through that gap. Close the lining opening with a slip stitch by hand or a short machine seam; hand stitching gives a neater finish.
12. Push the lining into place and smooth the top edge so the lining sits inside the outer stocking. Your stocking is now complete.
13. Make pom poms using a pom pom maker in two sizes for variety. Leave the tying strand long so you can attach the felt letter later.
14. For a felt letter ornament, cut two identical letter shapes from felt.
15. Hand-sew the two letter shapes together using a blanket stitch, stuffing lightly before closing the final stitches so the letter is three-dimensional.
16. Thread the long pom pom yarn through an embroidery needle and stitch it through the top corner of the felt letter to attach the pom pom. Tie the pom pom and letter to the hanging loop on the stocking.
Photos by Jeff Mindell
I bought enough wool and roving to make a bunch more as our family grows and I’m excited to keep making stockings. If you have any questions about the process or materials, feel free to ask in the comments below.